Die for the manufacture of chain



DIE FOR THE MANUFACTURE 0F CHAIN original-'Filed Aug, L1 o 192e z snegtslsneei 1 April s, 1930. ffy," J1 RED m-YAL 1,153,942

' Y .DujjFoR THE MANUFACTURB 0F CHAIN original Filed Aug. 1o. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 fwenrf lerMLca/z v Patented pr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATEN'n OFFICE JAMES REID, DEGEASED, LATE F WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, BY MARGARET S. REID, ADMINISTRATRIX, 0F WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ALBERT M. LEAHY, OF SOMERVILLE, AND CARLTON Gr. LTTS, 0F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS DIE FOR THE MANUFACTURE CHAIN Y Original application iiled August 10, 1926, Serial No. 128,448. Divided and this application iiled September 21, 1928. Serial No. 307,510.

The presentrapplication is a division of our original application Seria-1 No. 128,448 liled August 10, 1926, which'shows and describes an improved method of manufactur- 6 ing chains characterized by uniting two chain link sections by the application of pressure to the engaged link sections, one of which is heated prior to the application of pressure by dies.

The present invention relates to the construction of the dies employed in carrying out the method set forth in our original application, our improved dies being so constructed as to readily permit the union of the engaged link sections to be carried out after one of the link sections has been connected to aI length of previously completed chain.

Our improved dies are also so designed as to result in the production of finished links which oder a smooth outside contour over the joints between the interlocked link sections with absolutely no bulges that would interfere with the use of the completed chain in passing over standard pulleys and other mechanical equipment with which the chain might be used. The above and other advantageous features of our invention will here-- Fig. 2 is a view in plan of another type of link section which mates with the link section shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of the dies employedin pressing the link sections in locking relation, the dies being shown separated.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing the dies engaged with the interlocked link sections.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower die.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a completed link shown partly in section with a previously formed link united thereto.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 one link section 1 is U-shaped in form with each leg 1a thereof .terminating in a reduced portion 2. Each reduced portion 2 provides a series of Vcollars 8 which decrease in size toward the 'end of the portion 2 with reduced necks 4 locking relation, as will be hereinafter described, the combined link sections 1 and 5 will provide a complete link of the stud type. The link section 5 is forged complete from high grade steel, with or without the stud portion 6 as desired, and after the forging, the end faces of the legs 5a are provided with recesses 7 7. The recesses 7 are stepped to provide shoulders 7 a gradually decreasing in diameter, the recesses 7 and shoulders 7u being formed either by punching, while the metal is hot, or by drilling when the metal is cold. Tlf-1ev end faces of the recessed legs 5il are of somewhat greater diameter than the unreduced diameter of the legs 1l ofthe link portion 1 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

ln locking a pair of link sections 1 and y together to form a complete link, the section l is first placed, cold, in a die 8 which as shown in Fig. 5 provides a continuous elliptical depression 9 for receiving the lower half of the link section 1. The die depression 9 is also adapted to receive the lower half of a link section 5 when the latter is placed in the die 8, in the manner indicated in Fig. 3, to cause the collars 3 and neck portions 4to enter t-he recesses 7. rl`he die 8 also provides raised bosses 10 on opposite sides of a secondary depression 1l having the same proportions as the stud portions 6 of the closed link section 5. An upper die 12 substantially identical in construction with the lower die 8 pro; vides a continuous depression 13 and bosses 14 to receive the upper half portions of the link sections 1 and 5, so that the plan view of Fig. 5 may be considered as illustrating the appearance of both dies 8 and l2.

After placing the cold link section l in the lower die 8 as indicated in Fig. 3, those portions of the link section 5 around the recess 7 are heated to a high temperature, after which the link section 5 is placed in the die 8 in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 to cause the collars 3 on the cold link section l to enter the recesses 7. As soon as the heated link section 5 is so positioned, the upper die l2 is brought to bear upon the lower die 8 with the two link sections l and 5 included therebetween and the pressure exerted by the dies causes the hot and somewhat plastic metal surrounding` the recesses 7 to be forced around the cold collars 3 into Contact with the reduced necks 4 between the collars 3. It is evident from Figs. l and 2 that the several inside diameters of the recesses 7 are substantially the same as the several outside diameters of the collars 3, so that with the hot plastic metal surrounding the recesses l confined on all sides, the pressure of the dies 8 and l2 causes the metal surrounding the recesses 7 to flow into the annular spaces surrounding` the necks Ll to securely lock the link sections l to 5 together as shown in Fig. Il. The excess metal surrounding the recesses 7 resulting from the larger end area of the legs 5a as compared to the root diameter of the legs l insures that the spaces around the 'necks l will be completely filled in the final joint.

As previously pointed out, the shell of metal surrounding each recess 7 of a link portion 5 is heated to a high temperature before being placed in the lower die 8, so that where this heated metal comes into contact with the cold metal of the enclosed collars 3 and surrounding dies 8 and l2, the shell will be hardcned at the same time that the heated plastic metal is forced around the collars 8. By heating the recessed portions of a link section 5 to a predetermined degree we have been able to obtain in the shell portions of the finished link substantially with the same degree of hardness as in the reduced portions 2. As a result, when a pair of link sections 1 and 5 are united as described above, the jointed portions will have a tensile strength almostas great as the tensile strength of the unjointed portions.

It is to be particularly noted that the completed link of Fig. 6 05ers a smooth outside contour over the joints with no bulge that will interfere with the use of the completed link in passing over standard pulleys and other equipment with which the chain might be used. This smooth contour is made possible by the fact that in our joint the largest collar 3 is less in diameter than the unreduced stock from which links are formed and that the depressions 9 and 13 in the dies 8 and 12 respectively, also present a smooth contour.

When a complete locked link has been made as described above, the neXt link of the chain is formed by passing another U-shaped link section l through the opening at the end of the finished link and then placing the finished link in a vertical slot l5 provided in the lower die 8 as shown in Fig. 3. The slot l5 extends partly through the left hand boss 10 and as it is deep enough to receive about half the completed link the latter will be firmly supported by the die 8 without interfering with the link portion l in the depression 9. The upper die l2 is provided with a similar slot 16, so that when the dies S and l2 are brought together to joint two link sections l and 5, the completed link through which the link portion l has been passed in no way interferes with the pressing operation. Obviously the procedure is the same for each succeeding link until a chain of the desired number of links is obtained.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that by our invention we have provided improved dies for the manufacture of chain links comprising interlocked sections, a pair of dies cooperating to produce finished links identical with previously formed links and adapted for use on all standard equipment.

Vile claim:

l. A die for the manufacture of two-part stud chain links comprising a block having a main elliptical depression with a secondary depression extending across the minor axis of the main depression, for enclosing, receiving and supporting mating portions of an open link section and a closed stud link section conforming to said depression, one end of said die providing a third depression eX- tending at right angles to the main depression along its major axis for receiving a portion of a completed stud chain link embracing the open link section in said main die depression.

2. Apparatus for the manufacture of twopart chain links comprising cooperating identical di es providing registering elliptical depressions for the reception of complementary chain link sections, one of which is heated, the elliptical depression of each die providing a continuous outer contour broken only by a secondary depression at one end of said elliptical depression along its major axis whereby said dies, when brought together, are adapted to completely inclose the heated metal of one of the mating link sections with a portion of a completed link embracing the cold link section received in the said auxiliary depression of said die.

JAMES REID,

Deceased, By MARGARET S. REID,

AClematis/rural?. ALBERT M. LEAHY. CARLTON Gr. LUTTS. 

